Arrested last summer after being accused of forcing drug-addicted women into prostitution

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Updated: 6:20 PM EST Jan 13, 2017

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WEBVTT PREPORTER: THE FORTYP-SIX-YEAR-OLD NEW NORTH ENDPRESIDENT ACCEPTED THE PLEA DEALPON MONDAY.PFIVE OF THE SIX CHARGES MADEPAGAINST HIM WERE DROPPED.PCOURT DOCUMENTS SUGGEST A LINKPBETWEEN HUMAN TRAFFICKING ANDPDRUG ADDICTION.PTIMOTHY GALLOWAY WAS ARRSTEDPLAST JUNE.PCOURT DOCUMENTS ALLEGE HEPCOERCED SEVERAL WOMEN TO USE THEPWEBSITE BACK PAGE.COM TO ENGAGEPIN PROSITUTION PACCORDING TO THE AFFIDAVIT THEPWOMEN TOLD INVESTIGATORSPGALLOWAY USED THREATS, AGRESSIONPAND DRUGS TO MAKE THEM DO IT.PTHESE ARE OFTEN THE METHODS USEDPSAYS DETECTIVE TROOPER MATTHEWPHILL OF THE VERMONT STATEPPOLICE.P>> RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE SEEINGPWITH THE GIRLS THAT WE AREPWORKING WITH IS THAT MOST OFPTHEM TEND TO BE DRUG ADDICTEDPWHICH DEFIANTLY MAKES IT EASIERPFOR THE TRAFFICKER TO CONTROLPTHEM AND TO COERCE THEM INTOPPROVIDING COMMERCIAL SEX ACTS.PREPORTER: HILL SAYS TRAFFICKERSPTAKE ADVANTAGE OF ADDICTS ANDPTHEIR NEED FOR DRUGS.P>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEYPARE REALLY AFRAID OF IS THATPINITIAL DETOX PERIOD. BECAUSE ITPIS INCREDIBLY PAINFUL, SCARY FORPTHEM AND IT HURTS, WHEN THEY GOPTHROUGH WITHDRAWAL IT'S NOTPSOMETHING THAT IS PLEASANT, INPORDER TO KEEP FROM GETTING SICKPTHEY NEED TO KEEP USING DRUGS.PREPORTER: FOR INVESTIGATORSPGETTING THESE WOMEN AWAY FROMPTHE LIFE-STYLE IS INCREDIBLYPHARD.P>> IT TAKES A WHILE TO BUILDPTHAT TRUST, IVE GOTTA GUILD APHIGH LEVEL OF TRUST AND APBETTER REPOUR WITH THEM THANPTHEIR TRAFFICKER HAS AND THATPJUST TAKES A LONG TIME.PREPORTER: BUT THEY WANT VICTIMSPTO SEE THEM AS A HELPING HAND.P>> WE HAVE A NETWORK THAT CANPSUPPORT THEM. WITH TRAUMAPTREATMENT, SUBSTANCE ABUSEPTREATMENT, EDUCATION TRAINING WEPHAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP WALKPTHEM THOROUGH ECONOMIC SERVICESPREPORTER: HILL SAYS THE 1ST STEPPTO BREAKING AWAY FROM THE SEXPTRAFFICKING LIFE IS OFTEN TIMESPJUST WORKING WITH THE POLICE.P>> SOME OF THOSE FOLKS THEY HAVEPWORKED WITH US.PFOR EXAMPLE IN THE GALLOWAYPCASE.PSOME WE HAVE HAD CONTACT WITHPAND THEY ARE NOT READY TO GETPTHE HELP THEY NEED. PTHEY ARE STUCK IN THAT LIFE ANDPUNTIL THEY ARE READY.PTHAT'S GOING TO BE THEIR LIFEPREPORTER: DETECTIVE HILLPEPHAZIED THAT COMMUNICATING WITHPSEX WORKERS IN THE AREA IS WHATPLEADS TO ARRESTING SEXPTRAFFCIKERS.PJUST LIKE TIMOTHY GALLOWAY.PBECUASE OF HIS PLEA DEALPGALLOWAY COULD BE HANDED APSENTNCE OF 3 TO 6 YEARS IN

Burlington man pleads guilty to sex trafficking

Arrested last summer after being accused of forcing drug-addicted women into prostitution

A Burlington man accused of sex trafficking made a deal and pleaded guilty to reduced charges. Timothy Galloway was arrested last summer after being accused of forcing drug-addicted women into prostitution.

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Court documents allege he coerced several women to use the website Backpage.com to engage in prostitution. According to the affidavit, the women told investigators Galloway used threats, aggression and drugs to make them do it.

These are often the methods used, said Detective Trooper Matthew Hill, of the Vermont State Police.

“Right now, what we are seeing with the girls that we are working with is that most of them tend to be drug addicted, which definitely makes it easier for the trafficker to control them and to coerce them into providing commercial sex acts,” Hill said.

Hill says traffickers take advantage of addicts and their need for drugs.

“One of the things that they are really afraid of is that initial detox period, because it is incredibly painful, scary for them and it hurts. When they go through withdrawal, it's not something that is pleasant. In order to keep from getting sick, they need to keep using drugs,” Hill said.

For investigators, getting these women away from the lifestyle is incredibly hard.

“It takes a while to build that trust,. I’ve got to build a high level of trust and a better rapport with them than their trafficker has, and that just takes a long time,” Hill said.

Investigators want victims to see them as a helping hand.

“We have a network that can support them -- with trauma treatment, substance abuse treatment, education training. We have people who can help walk them thorough economic services,” Hill said.

He also said the first step to breaking away from a life of sex trafficking life is oftentimes just working with the police.

“Some of those folks that have worked with us, for example, in the Galloway case, some we have had contact with, and they are not ready to get the help they need. They are stuck in that life and until they are ready, that's going to be their life,” Hill said.

Hill emphasized that communicating with sex workers in the area is what leads to arresting sex traffickers like Timothy Galloway. Because of his plea deal, Galloway could be handed a sentence of three to six years in prison.